PDN is killing me!

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I don't know if anybody else is going through this, but I feel like a babysitter, there is nothing else to do all day but NG tube feeding and suctioning, and then I get to sit the rest of the time just staring into space, I am afraid I will develop some kind of depression with this kind of nursing, but I am a new grad and couldn't find a job in the hospitals, I had to do this to pay my bills.anyone else is going through this?

I also did private duty after graduation because I could not find a job in the hospital. I hated private duty but I had bills to pay and I wanted a nursing job. I kept applying to hospitals and once I had a little experience I put that on my resume. With the little bit of experience I had in private duty I landed my hospital job and I could not be happier! Keep with it if you can because it just might be your "in" with the hospital. It may take awhile though Good luck!

I miss PDN now that I have a niche, critical care hospital job. Drove myself insane with the lesser pay, knowing that I just needed to hone in my skills. Have had my hospital job for over a year now and while I'm not an expert, I can do things like put in an IV (kinda), draw blood, art stick, put in a foley, do a wiiiide variety of wound care (I'm in burn), code a patient, titrate drips of all kinds, manage a vented patient, etc.

I still think about going back to PDN, but I'd be taking a 40% pay cut.

I love my job, but I will admit that it can be boring at times. However, I choose to look at it like this: I have an opportunity to study (I work nights), I am fortunate to be placed with an amazing family in a safe neighborhood and there is ZERO drama. In my area, PDN actually pays LPNs more than the hospitals. Once I finish school, I'll go work in a hospital and make substantially more but will likely stay on at my case PRN.

I did PDN when I was working on my BSN. It was horribly boring, and as soon as I found another job I left. I mostly worked nights, so when I wasn't actively providing care I just worked on my homework or played solitaire on my laptop or whatever. I did days for a while, and it was pure torture.

It is a perfect nursing job if you are still in school, you get to study and do home works. But as a BSN prepared Nurse and not ready to back to school now, I have nothing else to do but stare into space for a whole shift,lol,,

As an LPN I made 15K more in my second year of PDN than I did working in a nursing home. I get bored at times, but I try and mix it up with multiple cases, some weeks I have a different case every night of the week. I work overnights, and I bring my iPhone, computer, and reading materials. I am also a scout leader so I prep for my meetings. I try to do the little things that would clutter up my day, so my awake time at home can be focused on my family.

It is surprising to read that you have a BSN and are having difficulty finding employment other than PDN work. I am wondering if you have checked in on position availability for Case Management with your current employer. That would entail more paper work and case certs/recerts than pt care but...you will not be staring into space.

I live in NY city and the job market even for BSN nurses is not that promising, I have applied to more than 100 positions and only 1 interview, which did not end in a job offer. It's very hard here. As for asking for a managerial position, my agency already have nurses who do that kind of work and I doubt if they need more as its a very small agency.

I've worked Private Duty for about 2 years, and it can be extremely dull. Fortunately, I like to read. Most of my colleagues are in school, and appreciate the study time. One reason I'm considering a BSN is because of the plentiful downtime on my cases.

I did Peds PDN...mostly trach/vent cases, so there was always things to do, even on nights...I would have to untangle babies, reinsert NGTs, etc...I would've LOVED to have a full night. Most of the time, I had day cases where I went to school with my clients, or if they were homebound or too young for school, I read, painted, ROM/massage to keep them from becoming contracted or have more stiffness. One child I had lived near a park, so I would do early developmental activities, then take the child to the park, or I would take them to their appointments. I certainly never had a dull moment in PDN nursing. If I had a "calm" case, I was happy!